Johann Carl Loth Munich 1632 - 1698 Venice

Celebrated in his own lifetime for his dramatically lit and boldly painted mythological compositions, Johann Carl Loth was avidly sought after by collectors throughout Europe, but particulalry in the German speaking countries; his picture of Jupiter and Mercury with Philemon and Baucis (Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna), for example, had been purchased before 1659 by the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I.  This certainly appears to be the case with the present work, which was in the distinguished collection of Count Johann Humprecht Czernin von Chudenitz (1628-1682) during the artist’s own lifetime.  A drawing of the present canvas is found in the Czernin inventory of 1669, giving a date ante-quem for the picture (see fig.1).  It later appeared in a 1722 inventory of the Czernin collection, as no 46 “Ein Mittleres stuckh Apollo und Pan halber figur, original von Carlo Loth.”  Interestingly, another canvas by Loth of the same subject, but with a different format and composition was also recorded in the 1722 inventory (see literature below, p. 102, cat no. 369).

The composition of the present canvas relates to one of the artist’s best and best-known works, the Mercury Piping to Argus in the National Gallery, London (NG3571).  Both canvases are of the same size and format, and both depict mythological subjects with musical themes— and both of which end badly for one of the protagonists.  The sharp profile of the strongly lit figure of Pan (or Marsyas?) is the same as that of Mercury in the London pictured, with the musculature of both figures accentuated.  The semi-shadowed Apollo corresponds to the London picture as well.  The London canvas has been dated to 1655-60, an early production of Loth’s Venetian period.  The present canvas is perhaps more loosely painted and of a less intense palette, showing perhaps more of the influence of Giovanni Battista Langetti, thus suggesting a slightly later date, perhaps from circa 1660/5.  It’s appearance in the Czernin collection by 1669, however, precludes a date of much later.